


Tis the Season

by kellebelle



Category: Marvel (Movies)
Genre: Clint is An Asshole, Confused Tony, Cookies, Holiday Cheer, M/M, Mistletoe, Mostly Fluff, Tony doesn't get it, Ugly Christmas Sweaters, but then he does, christmas trees, four times plus one time, happy steve, happy tony, slight angst, who attacks the city on christmas eve, worried steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 19:39:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1123624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kellebelle/pseuds/kellebelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is all about holiday cheer with the team, mostly because he wants to it be special since he has a new family to celebrate with. Tony doesn't really get it because Christmas was never such a huge deal with the Starks. Despite that, Steve manages to bring out the Christmas cheer in Tony on a few separate occasions.</p><p>(AKA; Four times Steve had to get Tony into the Christmas spirit and one time Tony had to do it for Steve.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tis the Season

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Del_Rion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Del_Rion/gifts).



> This fic was written for the Captain America/Iron Man Holiday Exchange 2013.

**Tis the Season**

by Kellebelle

_-4-_

 

Steve lifted his arms just barely and turned a complete circle in front of everyone before stopping with an expectant smile on his face. “Well?”

 

He wasn’t expecting the confused stares.

 

“So is the sweater a fashion statement or…” Tony tilted his head. Where Steve had found this monstrosity he had no idea, but the smiling face of Rudolph and his actual blinking shiny nose looked back at everyone else.

 

“No! It’s a thing I found on the Internet. When did people start having tacky sweater parties? I think we should do this. I’ve already gotten sweaters for all of you!”

 

There was a semi-collective groan making its way around the room and Steve’s smile faltered a bit. Crap.

 

Clint was the first to lift a hand. “I volunteer as sweater tribute.”

 

“Uh...okay? What does that mean?”

 

“Toss me a sweater, Cap. I’m in.”

 

Steve’s face returned to its previous smile as he threw one towards Clint. Thor eagerly raised his hand next.

 

“I’ve always been interested in learning the traditions of Midgardians. I, too, shall volunteer as sweater tribute.”

 

Now Steve was beaming and he gave Thor a sweater.

 

Bruce shrugged. “Why not? If I hulk out at any point it’s not like it’ll be a total loss.” Natasha pursed her lips and nodded in agreement and Steve now stood with only one sweater remaining. He smiled at Tony and waited for Tony to accept it with open arms.

 

The genius did not look overly thrilled. “Are we actually having a party or are you just trying to punish us for the way that last battle went?”

 

Steve lifted the sweater and watched it unfold, showing off the face of Iron Man with a reindeer nose and antlers and Tony wasn’t sure if laughter was an appropriate response but he took a chance and went with it.

 

“Tony….” Steve still had a hopeful look on his face.

 

Tony fidgeted. “It’s silly. Christmas traditions are silly. All of it is silly.” He held out his hand for the sweater anyway.

 

“It’s a time for family,” Steve offered.

 

Tony hummed as he examined the sweater. “Well that’s not the way Starks celebrated. Besides, everyone in my family died when I was 17.”

 

Maybe that was the wrong thing to say. People were looking at him with a mixture of anger and annoyance. Except Steve. Steve just looked upset and okay, Tony was an idiot for saying that because everyone Steve had ever known was dead and that wasn’t fair at all.

 

“Okay okay!” He slipped the sweater on over his shirt. “There! Tis the season for tacky sweaters! But I am not going out in public like this!”

 

The smile on the soldier's face brightened monumentally and maybe Tony would be able to follow that light all the way through the holiday season.

 

_-3-_

 

The Avengers all peered up at the tree that Thor and Steve had insisted on bringing up by themselves, despite the fact that Tony’s penthouse was almost at the top of the tower.

 

“Where the hell did you even find this tree?” Clint mused.

 

“At one of the tree lots a little ways away from the city,” Steve answered.

 

“You mean a tree lot a little ways away from the city as in a Christmas tree outlet in Asgard?”

 

Thor laughed at the archer. “Do not be silly, brother Barton. It is not custom for us to celebrate a holiday such as this in Asgard.”

 

Natasha was sifting through the decorations littering the floor. “Someone else is in charge of hanging the lights. I’ll end up strangling someone with them if they become too knotted up in the process.”

 

“Fair enough!”

 

Natasha elbowed Clint.

 

Bruce raised his hand. “I’ll start putting hooks on ornaments.”

 

“Tony, do you want to help me put on the lights?”

 

The genius looked up from the box of hooks and to Steve. “Uh...I think we just used to have people do that for us. Can’t I just watch?”

 

“Well, Tony, it is customary for families to do this together. It’s a bonding experience and all about togetherness and seeing how ridiculous you make the tree look in the end.”

 

Tony scowled at Clint, but stood up and walked to Steve, holding out a hand for the lights.

 

“Thanks, Tony. It means a lot that you’re helping.”

 

He looked up at Steve, surprised to see how genuine his smile was. “Yeah. Of course.” He smiled. “Anytime, Cap.”

 

It took them no time to finish and all that was left was the star to go on top.

 

Tony grabbed the star before anyone else could get it. “I call dibs.”

 

“Aww, c’mon, Stark! Why?”

 

Tony grinned at Clint. “Because this is my tower, my rules.”

 

“Well that’s hardly fair,” Clint grumbled.

 

“So says the man who doesn’t have to pay rent to live in a place like this,” Tony responded with a smile, mostly to show that he wasn’t holding it against any of them.

 

“Damn. Okay point.”

 

Tony climbed the footstool because he knew he wasn’t very tall so everyone could just shut up and keep their comments to themselves. He reached up to place the star on top but was disappointed to discover he was still not quite able to reach it. This was going to take some creativity.

 

“Need help?” Clint offered.

 

“You are not that much taller than me, Clint, so pipe down.”

 

He reached, stretching his arms as far as he could go, standing on one foot and balancing on his toes at this point. So close. So very fucking close. Curse this abnormally tall tree.

 

He will adamantly deny the fact that he squealed when the next thing he knew involved Steve putting an arm around his waist and lifting him slightly just to give him those extra inches he needed to complete his task. Star on top, he sighed when his feet were back on the ground.

 

So there was that.

 

He looked at the soldier and the soldier winked back.

 

Huh. “Uh...thanks.”

 

Steve smiled. “Sorry. Didn’t want you to pull a muscle or anything. Looked like you were putting all your energy into it there after all.”

 

Tony picked up a handful of tinsel and tossed it at Steve’s face in retaliation. He wasn’t angry or even that embarrassed, and maybe part of it had to do with the fact that he was getting that smile from Steve. Maybe next time he’d wear his suit for a moment like that, just in case.

 

Steve laughed and put an arm over Tony’s shoulders. “Tis the season.”

 

Tony nodded, laughing a little. “Or something.” He might be persuaded to get used to this. You know, one day.

 

_-2-_

 

Steve found Tony working in the car garage covered in grease and dirt.

 

“Hey, Tony?”

 

A muffled “Yeah?” could be heard from under the car and Steve crouched down to tug on Tony’s leg. The genius slid out from under the car and sat up slowly, eyebrows raised.

 

“Something wrong, Cap?”

 

Steve shook his head. “No. Of course not. You’re the only one we weren’t able to round up.”

 

“For what?”

 

“We’re decorating cookies!”

 

If Steve’s smile wasn’t so genuinely excited Tony would have laughed and said he needed to get back to work. “What for?”

 

Steve would not be deterred. “We’re leaving Christmas cookies out for Santa.”

 

Tony gave him a blank stare. “Oh...kay? I mean are we talking ab--but you do realize that--” Wow he was struggling.

 

Steve began laughing. “I was kidding. Anyway, come join us.”

 

Tony gave his garage a once over and a helpless look to Steve. “If I protest you’re going to find a way to convince me won’t you?”

 

“You better believe it. So get up.”

 

Tony stood up, cracking his back and then yawning. “Steve, not that I’m trying to be the downer here, but why exactly are we doing this?”

 

“Getting into the Christmas spirit. That’s all. I want to make sure it’s memorable for all of us.”

 

“Oh. Well uh…” he lifted his hand, scratching the back of his head and then pointed a finger at the soldier. “I’ll go take a shower and we’ll get started.”

 

Steve beamed. “Thanks, Tony!”

 

Two hours later the kitchen counters were covered in frosting and Steve was pretty sure more of Clint’s frosting ended up in his mouth rather than on his cookies.

 

The tip of Tony’s tongue was poking from the side of his mouth and he was concentrating hard, trying not to get too angry about the fact that he was not a cookie artist. Once he less-than-skillfully completed one, he held it up with a smile on his face. “This one is for Clint because he’s a dick.”

 

“That’s supposed to be a dick?”

 

The genius stuck his tongue out at Clint. “Hey, bite me, Katniss. This is not my area of expertise. I’d like to see one person actually create a frosting picture that puts all other cookie artists to shame.”

 

Steve laughed quietly at that before passing a cookie to each Avenger. “Not perfect, but I drew your faces. Sorry, Bruce. I ran out of green before I could finish Hulk’s face. So he’s using a little bit of Clint’s purple too.”

 

Bruce grinned. “I’m sure the Big Guy wouldn’t care.”

 

Tony resorted to drawing smiley face dabs on his because everyone else was finished and it took him all that time just to draw a penis on a cookie. He at least put a barely decent looking star in the middle of Steve’s because Steve deserved the best Tony had to offer and apparently that was it. So when Steve handed Tony his cookie, the genius suddenly found himself a little embarrassed by his tacky creations. Steve had somehow managed to draw Tony’s helmet. Not only did he draw it, he drew it perfectly. There was even some shading in there.

 

When he looked up at Steve, the soldier was blushing a little and Tony had to smile. “Wow. Uh...you’re going to be really disappointed when you see mine.”

 

“Let me see it, Stark!”

 

Tony held it up for all others to see, smirking at Clint.

 

“Well damn, Cap. How much time did you devote to his cookie? I’m a little jealous.”

 

The soldier blushed a little more. “I just really like drawing Tony’s suit.”

 

“It’s rude to pick favorites.”

 

Steve tossed a balled up paper towel at Clint’s head before turning his attention back to Tony with a smile, leaning forward in his chair. “So are you going to eat it?”

 

Tony simply scoffed. “Are you kidding me? This is getting shellacked and framed. One day it’s going to be in an art museum. I can’t eat this. I’d feel guilty after ruining it.”

 

“I’m going to accept that as a compliment.”

 

“Well it definitely wasn’t an insult, that’s for sure.” Tony looked up from the cookie again to see Steve giving him another one of those fond smiles. “Thanks, Cap.”

 

“Of course, Tony. Merry Christmas.”

 

“Oh! A Christmas Story is on television right now!” Clint all but dragged Natasha and Bruce from the room, the miracle being that neither of them protested or even harmed him.

 

“Well sorry that mine wasn’t so fancy. I think it’s still edible though.”

 

Steve was silent for a moment. “You actually are my favorite, Tony.”

 

“Oh.” He wasn’t exactly prepared for that admission. Tony was never anyone’s favorite. “You’re not so bad yourself, Cap.” He picked up the cookie he’d made and held it in front of Steve’s mouth. “Eat up. Before the frosting gets nasty.”

 

The soldier bit off an end and smiled as he chewed. “Movie time.”

 

“Aww, Cap, come on. Were you planning on dragging me to watch this movie all along?”

 

Steve smiled innocently. “Tis the season, Tony.”

 

The genius pointed a finger at Steve. “You say that a lot.”

 

_-1-_

 

Steve popped into the kitchen with a bounce in his step. “Well I finished wrapping presents!”

 

A few others grumbled because they hadn’t even started that process yet.

 

Tony lifted a hand for Steve to high five and immediately regretted that decision.

 

“Tony, it doesn’t count if you pay someone else to do it for you.”

 

Tony smiled lovingly at Natasha while he continued trying to finish adjusting part of his faceplate. He figured if they were going to keep making him come up and do things he’d bring his work to the table. “You’re just jealous because you have hideous bow wrapping abilities.”

 

The soldier took a seat next to the genius and everyone grew silent. It took the both of them to notice it but when they did they were greeted with snickers.

 

“So are you going to tell me what’s funny or will I need to phone a friend so I can get the answer?”

 

Clint not so subtly jerked his head upward a few times, eyes fixed on a spot over Tony’s head.

 

Tony looked up and then, “Ok that was not there when I came in here. Who’s responsible?”

 

No one owned up. Jerks.

 

“This means you have to kiss Steve.”

 

Tony huffed. “I don’t have to do anything. This is a stupid Christmas tradition and I don’t like it when a piece of foliage dictates whether or not I should kiss someone.”

 

“Well someone’s a grinch this year. Only coal in your stocking this year.”

 

That earned Clint a flip of the bird from Tony and he was looking at Steve.

 

“What’s your opinion, Rogers?”

 

Steve shrugged, giving Tony a strange look. “Christmas tradition and all of that.”

 

“KISS KISS KISS!”

 

“Put a sock in it, Barton!”

 

Clint mimicked zipping his lips but the smirk stayed. Unfortunately Bruce, Natasha and Thor looked like they were just as eager as Clint was.

 

Tony just sighed. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to kiss Steve. He really really did, but he was sometimes a ridiculous sap and wanted a kiss to mean something. Okay a kiss from Steve to mean something. He had it bad. Shut up.

 

Steve just winked at Tony. “Don’t worry about it. No pressure. If you don’t want to then you don’t have to.”

 

“I didn’t sa--” and his mouth fell open.

 

Steve picked up the Iron Man helmet from the table and gave it a sweet, quick kiss before setting it back down. He smiled at Tony and then laughed at the look on his face.

 

“Did you just…”

 

“Yep.”

 

“But I thought…”

 

“You seemed a little intimidated by the thought.”

 

Tony nearly choked. “I was not intimidated!”

 

The grin on Steve’s face was challenge enough for Tony to lurch forward, his lips crashing into Steve’s, his hand reaching up to hold the soldier’s head in place. Steve immediately started kissing back and Tony almost forgot how to breathe. He pressed his lips harder to Steve’s and the soldier was holding Tony’s face in his hands.

 

Finally someone interrupted. “Oh my god. Get a room already.”

 

Steve pulled back slowly, licking his own lips and giving the genius a satisfied smile.

 

“I think we should definitely do that again.”

 

Steve nodded.

 

“Can you guys not do it in front of us at least?”

 

Tony rolled his eyes. “You talk too much, Clint. Plus you guys were badgering us to do it so technically you dug your own grave.”

 

“Ugh. Well we’re ready to eat so could you not disgrace the table before the food is even on it?”

 

Tony smirked. “I can’t make any promises.”

 

“I hate you.”

 

“Liar.”

 

Steve grabbed Tony’s hand from under the table and smiled. “We should talk later.”

 

Tony nodded. “Yeah. I can’t believe you kissed my helmet like that.”

 

Steve chuckled. “Tis the season.”

 

“You know that excuse won’t work forever.”

 

Steve’s eyes just twinkled.

 

_+1+_

 

Tony was shivering.

 

They had been in the middle of a Christmas Eve battle as luck would have it and Tony ended up being hurtled into the freezing waters of the Hudson River, his suit already losing power before that had happened. Steve had stared on helplessly, screaming Tony’s name as he ran toward the water but stopped when the Hulk made it in there first.

 

What felt like hours but was most likely a minute the Hulk returned with a very still Tony and Steve felt his stomach bottom out. He’d run toward the Hulk and crouched down next to the genius when he was placed on the ground. He wasted no time in ripping off Iron Man’s face plate. Tony could yell at him for it later. His first instinct was to feel for a pulse. Tony was cold. So cold but there was a faint pulse present. Steve tried to hold back the tears that sprang to his eyes as his own memories of cold water rushing toward him came to the forefront.

 

“Tony. Please wake up. Please.” He pulled Tony into his lap as he sat, waiting for medical to come and get them.

 

Tony eventually did open his eyes and loudly protested when medical tried to take him away. He held on tightly to Steve’s hand. He had protested weakly and demanded to be sent home because he wasn’t going to wake up in a hospital on Christmas morning.

 

Finally they had relented after offering the team very strict instructions on what needed to be done for the billionaire.

 

This was how Steve and Tony had found themselves resting in front of a fireplace. He felt miserable and knew Tony probably felt worse. He continued to shiver. Despite that, Tony seemed relaxed as Steve held on to him.

 

“This isn’t how I wanted Christmas to go.”

 

Tony snorted. “Yeah I don’t think this is what I wanted either.”

 

Steve was silent for a long time, and when he did speak again it was quietly. “I thought I’d lost you, Tony. It was like losing everyone in my life all over again.”

 

“You won’t be getting rid of me so easily, Rogers,” the genius mumbled as he tried to tame the shivering a little bit.

 

“I hope not.”

 

Tony looked up then, worried, and Steve was crying silently. “I woke up and everyone was just gone, Tony. I missed out on their lives. I just wanted to reassure myself that I could have a normal Christmas and that…”

 

“Steve. Steve, calm down.” Tony pushed himself into a sitting position as best he could and hugged the soldier. “I’m right here. I’ll be here when you wake up in the morning.”

 

Steve just smiled, burying his face in Tony’s hair. “Promise?”

 

“Cross my arc reactor.”

 

Steve laughed silently, his body shaking. “I froze right before I got to the water. The Hulk saved you and I froze. The water, the cold, I couldn’t…”

 

“I don’t blame you, Steve.”

 

“I thought I’d never get to see you again. Losing everyone is hard. Losing someone you love on Christmas...that has to be harder.”

 

Tony was silent this time, contemplating as to whether or not he wanted to say the next thing to Steve. He was sure Steve knew, but Tony’d never talked about it with anyone.

 

“My parents died a week before Christmas. On Christmas Day I was a rich orphan. Strangely enough, the first Christmas without them was no different than the years before when they were actually alive. Jarvis...he always made sure that I was taken care of though.”

 

Steve sighed, his voice shaking a little. “I just wanted this to be a good, meaningful Christmas.”

 

Tony quickly kissed Steve, resting a cold palm against the soldier’s warm face, his voice above a whisper. “It is. It’s perfect. I’ve never enjoyed the holiday season. This time of year. But you forced me to do the stupid Christmas traditions and I found myself enjoying them.”

 

“You almost died, Tony.”

 

“But I didn’t. I’m here and we’re going to wake up on Christmas morning and open presents and do all the silly things that families are supposed to do and then if you’re okay with it and I’ve stopped shivering by then I’m going to take you to bed and give you a very special, private Christmas present of your own.”

 

Steve didn’t say anything for about five seconds before his lips were crashing against Tony’s, his arms wrapping tightly around the genius’ torso, smiling and crying but really only a little if anyone asked and mostly because he was happy and also looking forward to Tony keeping his promise.

 

Finally he pulled away he kissed Tony’s forehead. “You’re the one who was injured and yet you’re the one doing the comforting.”

 

“I’m fine. You’re not. It’s understandable. It’d be a tragedy to lose something this good.”

 

Steve just rolled his eyes. “I love you, you conceited bastard.”

 

“I love you too, old timer.” Tony was smiling. It was the first time either of them had said it and they apparently couldn’t say that part without a little bit of snark thrown in there.

 

“It’s going to be a good Christmas, yeah?”

 

“Bet your sexy, super soldier ass it’s going to be.”

 

“Glad to see you’re in the spirit.”

  
Tony grinned. “Tis the season after all.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ho ho ho.


End file.
